Names You Need To Know In 2011: Hoopnotica

This post is part of an ongoing effort to identify the people, places, ideas, products and companies that are poised to become central to the global conversation over the next six to nine months. Click here to nominate your own “name.” The best will be featured in an upcoming issue of Forbes magazine.

Hula hooping is just child's play. HUGE misconception! It's now the latest fitness craze, with proven weight-loss results! I remember when my mom bought me my first pink and lavender spiraled hula hoop from Toys R Us when I was 6 years old. I have been hooping ever since. At least five days a week you'll find me in front of the television or out by the pool spinning that hoop around my waist for 15-30 minutes. I have sworn by its impact on the size of my waist. People always ask me how I stay so trim. When I reply, "I hula hoop," they almost laugh at the idea as if I'm joking. Even my trainers have told me that ab crunches are more effective. Tell that to my waist! And tell that to Gabriella Redding, CEO of Hoopnotica, who lost 55 pounds hula hooping.

Hoopnotica CEO Gabriella Redding

""I knew the moment I took my first hula hoop class, which was the first in the nation, with the 'Queen' of hula hooping, Hoopalicious, that this was going to be big, exclaims Redding."

She now sells weighted two-pound fitness hula hoops used for fitness through her Southern California company, Hoopnotica. She started Hoopnotica seven years ago. Last year it raked in $1 million dollars in sales as the craze from the 1950's is hitting the fitness circuit -- big time! It's no longer a kids toy.[forbesvid id="fvn/names/hoopnotica-million-dollar-hula-hoop-business" showid="5"]

Two factors have catapulted her business. The first, is a fitness study that was just released this year which compared hula hooping to other popular forms of fitness. The American Council On Exercise reported this new fitness craze burns 420 calories per hour – similar to that of boot-camp class, step aerobics and cardio kickboxing.

The second, is the 'celebrity' factor. First Lady Michele Obama has been seen hooping for fitness. Beyonce, Jason Mraz, Patricia Arquette, Grace Jones, Liv Tyler, Beau Garret, and Olivia Wilde all hoop as well. Ellen DeGeneres hula even hooped on her show. And Marissa Tomei and Jane Fonda loved the hula hoop so much they tried to start their own hula hoop distribution companies, which failed.

"I love competition," exclaims Redding. "People would end up hearing Marissa or Jane talking about hula hoop fitness, but then they'd search online for where to buy the hula hoop and they would end up finding my site and buying from me."

If they only knew Redding was open for partnering, still is. Being acquired is not even out of the question.

"I'm open to it," says Redding.

But on its own, Hoopnotica has become the largest distributor of fitness hula hoops in the world. Smaller competitors include Hoopenanigans, Superhooper, which also sell hula hoops. HoopSupplies.com allows you to make your own. But for Redding, her vision doesn't just stop at the hoop.

"We hope to become a $30 million dollar fitness brand in the next five years," says Redding.

The company's already trained more than 500 independent hula hoop instructors across the nation, who also act as distributors of the company's hula hoops. Redding hopes to expand into large retailers such as Wal Mart and Target, as well as into large fitness facilities such as 24 Hour Fitness in the next year. Hula hoop classes are already being integrated into class schedules at Equinox and Crunch Fitness.

The big question, however, is whether this will be a sustainable fitness routine that fitness enthusiasts will continue even when the novelty wears off.

"It's a challenge, but we're going to continue to come up with new products, and new ways to stay fit using the hoop," says Redding. "I think that's what I love most about this busines, the possibilities seem endless.

For the past 15 years I've mainly covered business, technology and sports. I was one of the first web-centric video reporters when I started at ON24 Financial News. Now at Forbes I not only interview the who's-who of Silicon Valley, but also feature executives who live extra...